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How to Turn Candy Canes into Pink Peppermint Syrup by Cleo Coyle

Got candy canes? Then you can make this excellent pink peppermint syrup. It's delicious stirred into hot cocoa, coffee, and tea; drizzled over ice cream, cookies, and cupcakes; and splashed into holiday cocktails.

Whether you're new to the Coffeehouse Mystery series or have been reading them since the first book was published (circa 2003), my husband and I extend our sincerest thanks for supporting our work. Enjoy the recipe, everyone, and have a very Merry Christmas and a joyous New Year!

This sweet, potent syrup is delicious licked right off the spoon, but you may want to serve it over ice cream, drizzle it over sugar cookies, stir it into hot chocolate, or use it the way my amateur sleuth (Clare Cosi) does--to make delicious Candy Cane Lattes and Cappuccinos. Here's how to put your own leftover candy canes to good use...

Ingredients:

1 cup water1 ½ cups granulated sugar8 large candy canes, broken up

Directions: Pour the water and sugar into a large saucepan. Stir over medium heat until the sugar has dissolved. Add the candy cane pieces to the mix and continue stirring and heating. When the candy canes begin to melt, the mix will turn a milky pink. Keep cooking and stirring until the mixture comes to a boil. Boil and continue stirring for 3–4 minutes, until the mixture begins to thicken up. Test it by coating the back of a spoon (see my photos below). Remove from heat. Allow the syrup to cool in the pan before transferring to a storage jar or plastic bottle. To speed up the cooling process, I pop my plastic squeeze bottle into an ice water bath (or the freezer). Unused syrup should be stored in the refrigerator. When chilled, this peppermint syrup will thicken up quite a bit. To re-use, simply put the squeeze bottle or jar of syrup into a warm water bath or microwave for ten seconds.

F o o d i e

p h o t o s

Looking for a

Christmas mystery?

If you like Christmas-themed mysteries,

I can suggest two in my Coffeehouse series: In Holiday Buzz, coffeehouse manager Clare Cosi caters a glittering New York holiday party and finds the murdered body of a young baker's assistant, a crime that she vows to solve. In Holiday Grind a kindly sidewalk Santa is slain, and Clare is on the case, not only to find his killer but rekindle the meaning of Christmas.

Both books include fantastic recipe sections with holiday drinks, entrees, cookies, and treats. May you read (and eat) with joy! ~ Cleo